13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Thank you for your responses - well, except for yours, Kevin. ;)
I really didn't think it was poison ivy, especially in its young form, but as Eric points out, PI is so variable. I've got lots of trees that look just like Michelle's and I've got PI that is more rounded, PI that is more pointy, and PI that is more like the photos above - sometimes its hard for me to keep them all straight. (I've also got some other 3-leafed weed growing that I will have to post and ask about).
And while I didn't think this was PI, I was still not sure enough to touch it, lol.
I googled hog peanut and it does look similar. Disturbingly, so do some of the images of kudzu. But I don't think that is this far north... yet.... is it?
Thanks everyone. It will still get sprayed with the cider & salt solution, but at least I won't be so nervous to brush up against it!
Dee
Just so you know, American Hog Peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata) and Hog Peanut (Apios americana) are two separate plants that share a common name and are kind of similar in appearance.
If you just google the term "hog peanut" without the qualifier "American" you generally get links to the wrong one.
Technically, it is 6 or more hours of direct sun, with four of those hours occurring between 10:00AM and 2:00PM (strongest sun of the day). Of course, the sun is stronger the closer to the equator you get, so those farther south get more energy from the sun in the same time as those of us farther north. So, full sun in Maine is not the same as full sun in Florida. Some plants need afternoon shade in Florida but don't in Maine.
Generally speaking, I would discount the sun before 10AM at 1/2 and the sun after 5PM at 1/2, so every hour before 10 or after 5 counts as 1/2 hour of "full sun." I would not count anything within two hours of sunset/sunrise toward the total.
I grow many "full sun" plants in less than full sun conditions because I have no choice. These plants (for the most part) do fine with 4-5 hours of sun from 11AM until 4PM. It comes down to trial and error to really know what works. Places like Home Depot love to distill the requirements down to color-coded tags like 6+ hours=full sun, 3-4 hours=part sun etc., but really it isn't that simple. It does depend on your particular plant.
I have seen light measurement tools for sale for about $30 that will apparently tell you what sun exposure you have. I have no idea if they are accurate. Another thing to consider is that an area could be "half sun" in summer but nearly full shade in winter. So, if your plant flowers (or fruits) in early spring, you have to evaluate the exposure then (when it needs the energy) and not in the summer.
bobby69: I would not consider what you describe to be full sun.
First of all, where are you? Are you in a climate where they overwinter, or somewhere you need to dig. Zone 6 and warmer they generally make it with good mulching in well-drained soil.
They multiply, but they' don't really "spread" since they don't have a mechanism to move by seeding, etc. as some bulbs do (at least never have for me). So you will need to dig and redistribute if you want more clumps.
You'll get lots of little "cormlets" from each old corm, but it'll be some years before they get to blooming size.
If you're below zone 6 and have to dig and store, you can save the bigger (or all of them if you're so inclined) of the cormlets along with the new corm - but, again, it'll be years before the little ones bloom for you.
I don't always grow glads, but when I do, I never bother to save them once I dig them up in the fall. They get composted.
If you do dig - cut the fans down to 5-6", dry them well on a piece of newspaper spread on the garage floor or just upright in a clean flower pot. If you store them damp, you'll get mold for sure. When dry, a light twist of the wrist will separate the old spent corm from the new one.
I've had relatively poor results getting a second year's bloom out of a stored corm despite having perfect storage conditions. Glads are quite inexpensive and readily available so when I want them I just start over. Gives me a chance to periodically change color schemes.
Others have fine success with storage - seems to be an "it depends" situation. Maybe some luck, too.
I saw matchstick last fall and really liked it. Sometimes I think mums are too full with blooms and you lose the grace of individual flowers, they are great big globs of color (which is nice on your doorstep) but those quilled blooms just look better imo when you can appreciate them individually.
Varieties do matter. Some are more cushion like.
You could try cutting back by 1/2 water & mulch to encourage the plant to recover more quickly. Also your choice of complete fertilizer in 1/2 dosage every 2 weeks, so as not to over do it.
Here is a link that might be useful: The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting and Pruning Techniques
Thanks! Yes, I'm prone to bold colors this year after such a drab display I had last year. I love how this particular color looks en masse. So I either have to spend $$ and fill it out or wait for it to spread. I'm tempted to buy a couple more.
@rouge21, I'm not sure why I thought that. I remember reading about someone else here who was sceptical and asked the question, but I've read in some places that it's hardy to zone 4. My tag says zone 5. Regardless I think I will be ok, although I lost my beloved Harvest Moon - it never came back this year.
Here it is, it was a small plant that never really grew as big as the pink ones but it stood out so gracefully from everything around it. RIP, Harvest Moon.
Update, they seem to have recovered frm deaths door and perked up. Some crispy leaves and maybe damaged stems but not fatal. Would have been so annoyed if I lost them because they were not discounted but were surrounded by discounted plants in pots on same pavers that were not affected.
I have put Plants in this spot before with no problems but this heat wave is unprecedented. I do plan on planting later this week, not in fall.
You know, it's already been 10 days since your original post. After this long, anything that is alive is going to live, anything dead is already dead. I would just trim off anything that is obviously dead, and leave any live tissue to help feed the root system for next year.
Each fall I run the mower over the top of my daylilies so they will get a total clean out then. A few weeks ago or more I sprayed them with ammonia solution and it seemed to stop the spread. I am sure it was just coincidence/timing but I too believe what ever it was is no longer spreading. I did read what you quoted, after I posted. Now we wait and see I guess. I really do not need something new to fight in my gardens!!
I love box elder bugs. My wedding day in October was unusually warm and the side of the church was covered!
Milk thistle and Scotch Thistle are awesome plants.. though you need heavy gloves to handle!
who knew..
back in the day ... i bought from the local mill.. i wonder if mine is real thistle ...
go figure.. learn something new every day ...
sooooo.. where the heck do all these thistle come from.. lol ... and shouldnt it be thith-el????
ken